Dean Harvey has bookended his two years at Trinity Racing with another win in the senior men's race at the National Cyclocross Championships; bringing his cyclocross season to an end and marking the completion of this phase of his career.
Looking ahead, he will take on new challenges in the coming year. And though he has now won the last three senior titles at the cyclocross championships, he told stickybottle he is unsure about what cyclocross would involve for him in the future.
Harvey is entering his final year as an U23 and, with that in mind, he explained that apart from a small number of 'cross races he rode during the winter season, he only trained on his cyclocross bike twice this winter.
"That will be my last 'cross race," he confirmed after his win yesterday in Ballinasloe, Co Galway, ahead of Darnell Moore (Caldwell Cycles) and Travis Harkness (Lyon Sprint Evolution) in the championships promoted by Ballinasloe Cycling Club.
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"I'm happy with how the season has gone. I came in a bit undercooked and just built through every race. I'm happy, and I think today was my best performance in a 'cross race so I'm pleased with it."
Harvey added though he won the championships last year "it almost felt a wee bit like a loss" because he felt his performance was not as good as 12 months earlier when he claimed his first senior title win.
"So this year I wanted to come in and top both (of the previous wins) and I think I did that. It was really technical, really twisty and half the course was hard surface and slippy and then the other was boggy and really heavy. It was a good mix, I enjoyed."
He also agreed winning three titles was a good record that he was very pleased with.
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"Winning three…. it's only more than two, but it somehow seems a lot more than two, so I am happy with that," he said with a smile. "I don't know what the future is with 'cross and me but I am happy with what I have done so I'll focus on the road."
And looking ahead to those road plans, he said he would be living in France this year where he will ride for French elite team Martigues SC-Payden & Rygel, after two years at Trinity Racing.
"I've a camp that starts on the 31st of this month, so I'll have a few days rest after this and get ready for the road season, which I'm motivated for," he said.
"It will mostly be French races, with some in Spain, Belgium and a few UCI races. It will be a good busy calendar and I just really want to start the season strong and get momentum going."
Harvey added he has had his focused fixed on the road season over the winter, rather than cyclocross, in that his winter has been fixed on training for the road.
"Outside of racing, this season I only rode my 'cross bike twice, it's all just been road focused; a lot of big miles, a lot of work on the gym. It's all been specific for the road."
That was a change of approach for him, saying that in the last couple of years he did not have much of a break between his road and cyclocross seasons. As a result, his form from the road, carried him through the cyclocross campaigns.
"This winter has definitely been my best, towards the road, so I am just excited now to see what it brings."
